


24 hours of Serquel

by sunamorim



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:54:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26086030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunamorim/pseuds/sunamorim
Summary: Serquel prompt Party is hereee!!! I did a few one shots related to themes for this week, and I'll it here. In case you don't know about this check out the Twitter @SerquelPP
Relationships: Denver | Daniel Ramos/Mónica Gaztambide, Professor | Sergio Marquina & Paula Vicuña, Raquel Murillo/Paula Vicuña, Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 7
Kudos: 80





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Guys this the day 1 for the Serquel Prompt Party, and the theme is "domestic". I hope you enjoy what I came up with, let me know your opinions❤️

_ Domestic life: Work or recreation done with or for one's family, however defined. _

Raquel wakes up feeling Sergio's hands caressing her belly. Thick lips stretch slightly in a smile, her eyes open and close getting used to the light.

"Good morning." she says lazily, turning to look at him.

"Good morning, mi amor."

Raquel leans against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Always waking up like this brings her enormous, unique peace. His body entwined with hers, his hands caressing her head. She couldn't find a better way to wake up. The ex-inspector strokes his bare chest, and hears him sigh.

"Cariño, could you shave my beard today?" Sergio asks, looking at his hand with an immobilizing orthosis. "As I tripped and twisted my hand and I have the splint, I don't know if I would have enough coordination to be able to do it myself."

"Of course I can do it." Raquel agrees, running a hand over his beard and feeling it tickle her skin. "After all, if you hurt your hand it was my fault that I left a cloth on the kitchen floor and you tripped over it."

"You are my favorite clumsy." Sergio smiles and leans over to place a kiss on her mouth. "I would stumble a thousand times on various floor cloths left by you, because it would mean that you are here. With me."

"I already told you that I'm here, with you. And I'm not going anywhere." this time, it is Raquel who places a quick kiss on Sergio's mouth. "I know that sometimes you feel like you ruined my life, but the truth is that I feel happier here in Palawan with you than I have ever felt in my life. Did I like my profession? I did. But I was tired of always being discredited just for being a woman."

"I'm sorry, Raquel. I'm sorry that they didn't know how to recognize your value, the impeccable way in which you did your job."

"Well, it was their loss." Raquel shrugs. "If they had acted differently with me, listened to me and respected me more, everything would have been different. But things are what they are, and I am grateful to be living here in this paradise with you."

"And I am grateful to have you here."

Sergio runs his hand over Raquel's waist and closes his mouth against hers, feeling the ex-inspector's soft lips move against his. Raquel interlaces her hands in Sergio's hair and they keep kissing until the alarm rings, indicating that it was time to start the day.

The couple walks to the bathroom and after they both brush their teeth, Raquel begins to shave, wrapped in a towel, the beard of the man who stole her heart. Raquel wipes a hot, damp towel over Sergio's face. She passes a shaving cream along the entire length of his face, and with a shaver in her hands at low settings, she starts to move to the earpiece towards the chin. Sergio closes his eyes and appreciates the woman's gentle touch on his face.

It is warm and soft, and he admires the care she takes. The contrast of her touch with the cold temperature of the shaving cream gives Sergio a shiver. Raquel changes to the other side of his face, and trims it under his chin. At the end, Raquel takes a mirror so that Sergio can see it up close.

"Mi amor, trim a little more here on the right side." he points to the part that was bothering his perfectionism.

She does what he asks, and then he is satisfied. They leave the bathroom and Sergio makes the bed while Raquel changes.

Marquina likes to make her bed in a methodical way, leaving the sheets well stretched, avoiding marks. Place a quilt across the bed, and turn the sheet fold over this piece, then he accommodates the cushions and pillows in the same positions. Sergio later puts on an outfit and Raquel goes down to make breakfast while he wakes up Paula.

Minutes later Paula appears sleepy in the kitchen and sits on the bench, followed by Sergio. The woman smiles at her daughter's laziness and kisses her forehead, wishing good morning. Raquel receives a dragged good morning. 

Raquel deposits an omelet with oats on her daughter's plate and a glass of milk. At that same moment the coffee maker beeps, warning that the coffee is ready. Sergio serves him and Raquel, and they drink with toast and cheese.

When they finish eating, the school bus honks, and Paula gives Sergio and Raquel a kiss and runs to the bus after picking up her backpack. Sergio helps Raquel wash the dishes and then they walk to the fair.

"I want to buy several different fruits today, to make a fruit salad the way Paula likes it." Sergio says as they approach the fair.

Raquel believes that she will never get used to the consideration that Sérgio has with Paula. He's always thinking of her, always thinking of ways to please her.

"It's a good idea, cariño." Raquel smiles, putting her hands together with Sergio's and walking hand in hand with him.

The couple walks from tent to tent, Raquel always trying to haggle over the price and looking for the cheapest.

"Raquel," Sergio speaks softly, in a playful tone. "You don't have to keep asking for discounts on products, you are married to the biggest robber in Spain."

"I know," the woman takes a pencil out of her purse and pins her hair with the object. "But just as you are good at planning robberies, I am good at negotiating." she blinks and leaves for the next tent.

Unsurprisingly, they buy several foods for less than half the price. Sergio looks proudly at Raquel with love overflowing in his eyes and she smiles, realizing how much they make a wonderful team, in every way.

Upon returning home, they store the products and Sergio begins to cut the fruits while Raquel makes a natural orange juice. When Paula arrives from school, the fruit salad is ready and lunch is almost finished. Paula greets her parents and Sergio joins her to continue a puzzle they were putting together before. It is a puzzle of a thousand pieces of the Tower Bridge in London, built over the River Thames.

Sergio has been buying puzzles from different tourist spots in the world for some time now. Paula doesn't understand, but Raquel knows that this is a way for Sergio to bring Paula closer to the world. He doesn't talk about it, but she knows that he feels guilty that they are technically trapped on this island and cannot leave.

Raquel smiles, thinking how much he does for Paula. Raquel yells that the lunch is ready and she hears Sergio getting up.

"Don't go Daddy Sergio, it's a trap to set the table!" Paula alert.

Sergio smiles softly and goes to the kitchen anyway. Raquel approaches and gives him a peck.

"Set the table, cariño."

"Damn it." Sérgio whispers and Raquel laughs.

Paula joins them in the kitchen, and she notices how they are already used and connected in the kitchen. Raquel knows when it's time to pass the knife to him to cut the meat, he knows when it's time to pass the cloth to her. Without asking.

While they finish making lunch they ask how the school went, and Paula comments that she thinks she did well in the math test and that a boy named Yuri stopped teasing her. She reminds them that later she has to go to a friend's house to do group work.

After lunch Sergio washes the dishes while Raquel helps Paula organize the material to take to her friend's house to do the work. They separate everything in a small bag and when they finish, Sergio takes Paula to her friend's house.

While at home alone, Raquel can't help but think about Sergio. His face appears in her mind, clear as the sun, all the details and features very clear. She has been in love, but she realizes that this is the first time that she is in love in a healthy way. Unlike other times, this love is a love that makes her grow, that puts her up, and she sees him placing in her the same amount of attention and affection that she places in him. And that's what love is about. Equality. Not just one getting attention, being on top of it. It has to be about both of them.

Because now, she finally believes that she deserves to be loved and respected too.

Raquel sighs, running a hand through her hair with a silly smile on her face. It's great to be in love. In a sudden inspiration, she decides to surprise Sérgio. The ex-inspector takes a post-it and starts putting her plan into practice.

º º º º º º

Sergio comes home and closes the door, leaving the key on the table he sees a pink post-it in there.

_ "Follow the post-it and find me." _ He recognizes Raquel's handwriting, perfectly round.

A smile appears on his face and he walks around the house following papers of different colors. With each post-it he finds, he retrieves the paper and puts it in his pants pocket.

_ “Remember when you took me to your makeshift shed? Your kiss was so sweet.” _ shows a green post-it, left on the end of the sofa.

_ "Remember when you asked what I was wearing?" _ a yellow post-it left on the floor indicates the path he must follow, and he walks towards the corridor.

_ "Remember when we had wine and exchanged kisses on my bed?" _ Sergio finds a post-it next to the bathroom door.

Next, on the bedroom door, there is a post-it note, and Sérgio suspects it must be the last one.

_ "Remember when I said I was with you, and gave you an overwhelming kiss?" _

Sergio smiles at the memory and puts the post-it in his pocket. He opens the bedroom door and finds Raquel lying on the bed wearing a black robe. The bedroom curtains are closed and there is a soft music playing in the room, creating a sensual atmosphere. The woman runs her fingers through the clasp of the robe and undoes the knot, opening it. Sergio's jaw drops when he realizes that she's not wearing anything under her robe.

Raquel spreads her legs and runs her hand over her sex, touching herself in front of him.

“Sit there in the chair and watch me play for you. Watch what just thinking about you does to me.” she asks in a hoarse voice.

He swallows and does what she asks, settling in the chair facing her. She knows he loves it when she gets bossy.

Raquel spreads her legs wider and runs her finger across her intimate region, spreading her fluid. Her thin fingers touch the clitoris and she massages it, looking into Sergio's eyes as she performs the movement. She closes her eyes and inserts one finger, and then another, imagining Sergio's thick fingers inside her. Her fingers continue to move and she uses her thumb to touch her clitoris, making each stroke of the thumb touch her point of pleasure.

With each lunge her pleasure increases, and she bites her lips, delighting in the sensation. Raquel opens her eyes and sees Sérgio finishing taking off his own clothes and closing his hand over his member. The ex-inspector gasps and inserts another finger, tilting her head back and letting out a groan.

Raquel surrendered to pleasure, her hair spread over the pillow, her eyes closed and her mouth half open... she was radiant.

With her hearing heightened because of her eyes closed, she hears Sergio masturbating himself, and just the idea that he was so horny seeing her touching herself makes her even more wet. She picks up the pace and feels Sergio stop and approach her. He touches her breasts and outlines her nipples, which at the moment is super rigid. Sergio leans over and kisses her mouth, while his hands massage her breasts. He bites her bottom lip and his tongue ventures through Raquel's mouth.

Sergio walks away and smiles when he sees how breathless she is. He bends down and outlines the nipple with his tongue, sucking it right away. The other breast receives the same treatment and Raquel squirms under him, feeling him run his tongue over her already hardened nipples. He positions himself under her, lying down on her legs, face to face with her sex.

Without disturbing or interrupting the movements she continued to make with her hands, he runs his tongue over her clitoris. She's all wet, which only makes his cock get even harder. He hears her gasp and does it again, licking the region and sucking on her clitoris. Sergio repeats the movement several times, savoring his taste. He runs his tongue all over the region, and when he feels that she is about to come, he speeds up and makes more precise movements.

"Sergio, I will..."

He knows her, she wouldn't even need to warn him. He knows the warnings, he knows her most sensitive places. Raquel falls apart in his mouth, his name coming out as a moan from her mouth.

Sergio waits for her breathing to become regular and positions himself over her, kissing her mouth. A small moan leaves her lips as she tastes herself in his mouth. He lowers his hands and runs his hand over Raquel's sex and sees that she is wet again. 

With that in mind, he slowly penetrates her, loving the sighs that escape her mouth. The ex-inspector's breathing becomes irregular as well as his when he starts to move inside her.

He stares into her eyes, pacing his movements according to her reactions. His lips find hers again and he increases the pace of her body's meeting his, knowing that he won't last long.

When Sergio was about to ejaculate, Raquel crosses her legs on his back, pressing him and making him go deeper. He feels his body tremble, and when he reaches orgasm, involuntary spasms are constant. Raquel reaches the peak almost at the same time.

With a strategic movement, he turns her on his side bringing her on top of him. Raquel feels her body sweaty, fragrant and practically faint with love on top of him. She lays her head on his chest and they stay in that position for minutes, feeling the pulse in their breasts.

Sérgio strokes his back with the tips of his fingers, going up and down throughout the region, and she gets better on top of him. Raquel leans and closes her mouth against his, kissing him slowly, without haste. Raquel's lips are thick, inviting. He leans his forehead against hers when they look for air. Sergio outlines her lips with his fingertips. He wraps her chin around his palm, placing another kiss on her mouth.

Raquel smiles.

"I'm going to take a shower," Raquel says. "And you behave yourself and stay here, if we go to bathe together we know it will take longer, and soon Paula will be back." she says playfully.

He knows that she is right.

Raquel gets up and walks towards the bathroom, and Sergio watches her naked ass in all its glory. He still doesn't know how he could be so lucky to win over a woman as amazing as she is. Raquel takes a quick shower, and then it's Sergio's turn.

Raquel watches her part of the wardrobe and when she glances at Sergio's part, the difference is so big that it makes her laugh. Hers isn't exactly messy, but it's not as meticulously tidy as his. Everything is exceptionally folded and separated by color.

Sergio comes out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist and hugs her from behind, placing a kiss on her neck.

"Can I know what you were laughing at, my love?" Sérgio asks.

"I was looking at the difference in your wardrobe part to mine and I found it funny. Your part is much tidier than mine."

"If you want I can teach you to keep it a little more organized." It offers at the same time that your fingers caress the skin of your belly.

"You can't let go of the Professor's attitude, can you?" Raquel jokes and turns to face him. "Are you trying to say that my part is disorganized?"

Raquel keeps her tone serious and crosses her arms under her breasts.

"No, that's not what I said." Sergio responds nervously, raising his hands to fix his glasses. "Your part is not disorganized, I don't see a problem the way it is, but if it were your wish I could help you improve it to get even better, I don't know, you who..."

Raquel interrupts him, gently placing a finger in his mouth.

"Sergio, you have to stop taking everything I say seriously." Raquel laughs and caresses his face. "I was kidding. I don't mind, and I would like for you to teach me to keep it a little more organized."

Sergio smiles with relief.

"You will give me a heart attack one day, woman." he laughs and puts a kiss on her mouth, his manly hands around her waist.

"And you like me just like that." Raquel says, pinching her nose playfully, her face still very close to his.

"Yeah, that's the truth. I like  _ mi mujer _ the way she is."

Raquel looks into his eyes, delighted. Her eyes sparkle with emotion and she closes them, leaning down to kiss him. Her lips move against his, and his hands bring her body even closer.

Before the kiss becomes a new round of sex, Raquel moves away and Sérgio begins to explain to her how to organize better.

In the part of the socks, the ex-inspector usually makes a kind of ball to leave the pairs together. Sérgio says that this method can deform the sock, and it is preferable to join the pair and fold it in half. Pieces and sets that Raquel doesn't use much are placed on higher shelves, and the pieces she uses most often are placed in more accessible places.

Raquel separates the clothes by type and by season, and when she finishes she is forced to admit that it looks very beautiful.

Later, Paula's friend's mother brings the girl home, and they have dinner. Paula says that they managed to finish all the work, and Raquel says that she is proud of her daughter. They watch a movie, but in the first few minutes Paula falls asleep. Sergio picks her up carefully and takes her to the bed, kissing her on the forehead.

Sergio closes the door and finds Raquel there, looking at him with a twinkle in her eye. He smiles and joins his hand with hers.

"Shall we watch the stars?" he asks and she quickly nods.

The couple walks to the door of the house and looks at the sky. Sergio's arms go around her waist, hugging her tightly against his body. She lays her head on his shoulder and observes how beautiful nature is.

In Palawan, there is not much pollution, which makes the stars look clearer and brighter. Raquel feels herself surrendered to the moonlight, the smell of the sea, the brightness of the stars and the intense darkness of dusk. She watches the huge amount of stars, wondering how far they had to travel to be there.

"You are a thousand times more beautiful than the stars, Raquel" Sergio declares, and Raquel disentangles herself to look at him and gets emotional when she realizes that while she was watching the stars, he was watching  _ her _ .

"You're not bad either, you know?" she asks with a smile on her face, putting her arms around his neck. He smiles and looks down, a reddish tinge appearing on his face. "And just for the record, you shine in my life like a star, lighting me up and warding off any darkness."

He smiles and looks down, a reddish tinge appearing on his face.

She kisses him, and as her lips move against his, she can't help but think how much she loves the life she has now.


	2. Women in power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! This is the one shot for day 2 of Serquel Prompt Party, theme: Mono rojo (Red jumpsuit). I truly hope you like it! Cheers to the women 🍻

Lisbon had been inside the bank for exactly two days. She had already showered and changed the police uniform for the famous red jumpsuit.

The ex-inspector tried not to think about the symbolism of this act, tried not to be so moved by it. An heist of this caliber needed her immediate attention and her rational side operating steadily and strongly. There was no time for emotion at the moment.

When she left the bathroom she came face to face with Denver, who had gone to the men's room to change his clothes too. He gave her a smile, and she nodded.

Now, two days later, things were relatively calmer. They recovered the camera access to the Professor with the technical help of Rio, Gandía was contained, and the gold continued to be melted. They were getting very close to the goal, according to the statistics, the next day they would already reach the amount that was expected.

With everything going according to plan, women decide to take a break. They take some beers that the governor had hidden in his office, and put the men to work while they drink, sitting on the floor of the governor's office.

Palermo and Helsinki were eyeing the hostages, while Denver, Rio and Bogotá worked hard on the aquatic session. The plan was clear: there could not be a drop of gold left inside.

Lisbon sighs, releasing the air from her lungs as if it had not been breathing for days. It was good to be able to relax even in the middle of the chaos, and the beer was certainly helping, Lisboa thinks while taking another sip of the drink.

"Lisbon, how did you meet the Professor?" Manila asks, curious.

"Well, everyone here knows the circumstances of how we met." Lisbon begins. She feels a twinge of relief when she realizes that telling this story does not bring back an ounce of resentment. "I was the inspector of the case, and he wanted to get close to me for information. Right on the first day of the robbery, I went to a coffee shop called Hanoi, and he was there. Thinking about it now, I remember feeling a kind of alert, telling me to stay away from him. But he had such kind eyes that I couldn't get away. And over time, I couldn't help but think about him more and more. "

"I think the relationship you have is very beautiful." Stockholm comments with a twinkle in her eye. "It certainly started in an unconventional way, but nothing is conventional in this group. See me with Denver, for example. But I'm happy, Lisbon, that you managed to put aside any hurt and enjoy what you were feeling."

Lisbon smiles, remembering the incredible moments she spent with Sergio. Bathing in the sea fully clothed, candlelight dinners on the beach, lazy Sunday mornings. Sérgio made every moment worthwhile.

"And they have sex, you see? I never could imagine the Professor having sex, but apparently he gets the job done, right, Lisbon? You were all horny when I interrupted you in the room that day" Tokio comments.

Lisboa laughs, tilting her head back.

"And as it turns out, I don't even have to make a lot of effort and in an instant he is ready for the second round." Lisbon feels her cheeks flush, and she feels light.

"Your orgasms, your rules." Tokio raises her beer to toast.

"Dale!" The other women lift their cans, knocking against each other and then taking a sip.

"I can't believe you interrupted them in the middle..." Stockholm says, holding back a laugh.

"I interrupted, and for a moment it was kind of traumatic." Tokio laughs, and then she seems to remember something important. "Lisbon, do you remember when you interrogated me?"

"Yes, I remember," Lisbon confirms.

"You arrived, I was in a blouse and panties. Those stupid cops didn't bother to give me something to cover myself, obviously loving the vision they were having of me. I was feeling exposed, uncomfortable. And then you arrived, and your first attitude was to cover me up. That meant a lot to me, and I don't think I ever thanked you for that. Thank you."

"You do not have to thank me." Lisbon smiles, putting her hands upon Tokyo's. "Even if you were a thief, or whatever, no woman deserves to go through that. Every woman deserves to be respected regarding her own body. As a woman, in that situation I felt it was my duty to defend you."

The other women nod.

"I wish there were more women in power, like you." Stockholm confidence looking at Lisbon. "What I had with Arturo, at the beginning was more because of his insistence, and then I got used to it. I think that if I had another woman in a position at his level, in which I felt safe to report something, it would have made all the difference."

"I'm sorry, Stockholm." Lisbon approaches her and embraces her. "Because he is in a position of power, he feels it's okay to coerce people, and often out of fear, we end up accepting it."

"That's exactly it. But I can't completely regret what happened, because whether I like it or not, it ended up giving me Cinci. And he is my life."

"I know very well what you are talking about." Raquel smiles, remembering her own daughter.

Her marriage to Alberto was hell during a good part of it, but Lisbon could never one day regret having married him, because he gave her Paula. And if there is one thing she is sure of in this life, it is that she would go to the moon and move mountains for her daughter.

It calms her heart, knowing that Stockholm can understand her in so many ways. The blonde woman with curly hair is also a mother, ended up falling in love with one of the thieves and had her life turned inside out because of that.

"Anyone who sees Lisbon like this thinks she's so cute, they can't even imagine the slaps she gives." Tokio laughs and Lisboa laughs together, remembering their meeting in Palawan.

"Ay, por favor." Lisbon retorts. "You were asking for it. You had barely arrived at the place where I lived, and you were already questioning me."

"Well, Lisbon could take advantage and give Arturo one of those slaps." Manila comments and the environment seems to freeze.

"What did he do now?" Lisboa asks, afraid of the answer.

Since she arrived at the bank, she noticed everyone acting harshly with the man. Even among the hostages, no one seemed to like him. The ex-inspector thought of asking and finding out what happened, but there was so much to do that she ended up forgetting about it.

"That bastard was offering tranquilizers to women." Manila explains with disgust. "Except he was giving a little more than necessary. He left one of the hostages unconscious, and abused her while she was unconscious."

Lisbon feels her vision darken. She sees red from the anger she is feeling. She feels her heart racing, and on an impulse, the ex-inspector gets up and leaves the room, heading towards the great hall where all the hostages were gathered.

She passes through the hostages with a rifle in hand, until she is able to come face to face with Arturo.

"Give me a reason, Arturo." the woman asks, pointing the rifle directly at his forehead. "Just one reason why I shouldn't put a bullet in the middle of your head." Lisbon screams, furious.

"I… you… you don't want anyone to die." he stutters.

"You are slow to follow the news, huh? With everything that happened, we don't care about that anymore." Lisbon takes pleasure in seeing the man swallow, afraid. "In fact, killing you would be considered a favor for society. You are crap."

"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?" Arturo raises his voice.

Lisbon loses patience and drops the rifle, letting it hang with a rope on her back. She raises one of his hands and slaps Arturo in the face, feeling his face turn with the slap.

"I am the person in charge of the heist here, now. I am the person who ordered a shot at you, back at the first heist. Remember how nice it was to be shot?" Lisbon teases him. "I was feeling guilty, thinking I was wrong. Little did I know that shooting you was not wrong. Keep an eye on me, I've shot you before and I can do the same thing again, you rapist." Lisbon spits in his face.

"Come on Lisbon, leave it." Stockholm asks. "There is no point in wasting time with him."

"You wasted a lot of time with me, right, blondie? Whatever it takes, I will still see my son, even if it is the last thing I do."

At the mention of her son, Stockholm leaves Lisbon and raises her hand, slapping him in the face.

"You wash your goddamn mouth before talking about  _ my _ son. You will never see him, I will die before I even let you rest your eyes on him."

Stockholm explodes and this time it is Lisbon that has to get her out of there. Lisbon runs his hands around Stockholm's waist and pulls her out, whispering to her to calm down and that everything will be fine.

After giving Stockholm a glass of water and she calms down, Lisbon reflects how lucky they are to have each other. People may see them as a bandit of bandits, as thieves, but in reality they are a  _ family _ .


	3. Family issues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy, this is my contribution to day 4 of Serquel Prompt Party, theme: Family. I hope you guys like it!

Raquel returns to the house they have on the beach after going to the market. It is a simple house, with a hammock in front, but for her it is one of the most perfect houses she has ever seen. Because it's hers and Sergio's. It is the home where she learned that life can be beautiful. That she can, and deserves, to be happy.

The place is incredibly paradisiacal. Palawan is among one of the most wonderful islands in the world with its white sands, crystal clear waters and mountains. The smell of the sea became a kind of second home for her. She no longer recognizes herself without that tanned tone on her skin, for spending so much time exposed to the sun.

When she gets home, Raquel is surprised by the stillness of the environment. The ex-inspector deposits the purchases on the kitchen table, and after stroking the cat's ear they adopted, she goes looking for the other residents of the house.

“Sérgio? Paulita? Mama?” Raquel asks, but without an answer.

It is by entering the room that belongs to her daughter that she understands what is happening. Both Sergio and her mother are around her daughter, who is lying in bed, sleeping.

"Paula got worse, mi amor." Sérgio explains when he sees his wife entering the room. "She has a fever that is not going down for anything, and a fever means that she has an infection, we need to treat it soon..."

Raquel knows him well enough to know that he is nervous, and that when he is like that he doesn't stop talking until someone interrupts him. The woman approaches Sérgio and plants a peck in his mouth, looking for his hand and pressing her fingers against his, trying to comfort him. She approaches his mother to leave a kiss on her forehead and then turns to his daughter.

As she puts her hands on the top of Paula's head, she feels her heart squeeze. Her daughter is really hot. As much as her daughter has been sick at other times, no mother ends up getting used to it. It always hurts to see your child sick, weak. An absurd desire to want to take this pain and transport it to itself. Everything for her to be well.

The little girl has been complaining of a sore throat for a few days now. Raquel gave her some honey and lemon and wanted to call a doctor, but Paula assured her that there was no need. Now, her condition has worsened.

"It's all my fault, I should have called a doctor soon." Her voice comes out in anguish, a tear running down her face.

"Don't think like that, hija ..." Marivi asks. "We all thought it was nothing serious."

The eldest embraces her daughter, laying her head on her shoulder. Raquel accepts the support of the mother with pleasure, holding the mother against her and then placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Paula will be fine, she is as strong as her mother." Sérgio says with such conviction that Raquel ends up believing.

The ex-inspector can see in his eyes that he is still scared, but he is also determined to do what is possible and what is impossible to help her get better. It is by looking at her black irises that she finds the strength to continue.

Her gaze is locked on his, and like a spell cast, she can't get away. His look conveys peace. Assurance. Safety.

Sergio's mouth curves into a smile and Raquel smiles too, involuntarily. Raquel joins Sergio's hands and takes him out of the room.

"Have you already given her medicine?" the woman asks when they arrive in the kitchen.

"Yes. It was kind of hard for her to swallow because of her throat, but she did. But I fear that the fever has not yet subsided. I already called a doctor I know, and in about an hour he should be here. ”

"How was her temperature the last time you took it?"

"It was 38 degrees, almost 38.5."

With that, some of the nervousness she was feeling goes away. As a mother, she has been through other similar situations, and she knows that this temperature, even if it is not normal, is not alarming. The medicine Paula took should help the temperature return to normal soon.

"Ah, I thought I was taller." Raquel sighs with relief. "I think her temperature will soon drop."

"Raquel, what do you mean?" Sergio asks with wide eyes, adjusting his glasses and moving his hands nervously. “She has a fever! Fever! It is serious, it is not something simple!”

The ex-inspector sympathizes with his suffering, remembering how she felt the first times Paula became ill. A small apologetic smile appears on Raquel's face, and she approaches her fiancé. Putting her hands together with his, the blonde takes advantage of the proximity and leans her forehead against his.

"Cariño, I know this is all very new to you." Raquel whispers with her eyes closed, foreheads still attached to each other. “It is the first time that you see Paula sick, I imagine it must be scary. But she'll be fine, it must be a throat infection. We just have to take care of it, and soon she'll get better.”

"It is my duty to protect you, it is my duty to keep my family safe and sound." he says, still distressed.

Raquel feels a warmth in her heart when she hears him calling them family. It is not the first time, and Raquel suspects it will not be the last, but every time it does something good inside her.

“Mi amor, we are safe and sound here. You do take care of us. A disease is not something that someone can control, it can happen to anyone at any time.” She strokes his face, tangling her fingers in his strands of hair.

Sergio sighs, feeling the connection between them, which never fails. It is a bond, a bond so strong that it nourishes the soul. When establishing this bond, it is not that they are no longer afraid, but they feel stronger to face any storm that is in front of them. For they know that the other will be there to support the other.

"A fissure in a perfect life..." he comments, still looking down, but Raquel manages to feel that he is feeling slightly better.

"A fissure that will be mended and healed." Raquel closes her arms around Sergio's body and hugs him.

The ex-inspector breaks away, pressing her lips against his. She kisses him calmly and slowly, and Sergio sucks her lower lip lightly. The man runs both hands around her waist, bringing her close. When the lack of air is present, the foreheads of the couple again unite.

"I'm going to give Paula a cold shower to help lower the temperature a little, okay?"

Sérgio nods and after a last kiss, Raquel walks up to the room. She stands beside her daughter and kisses her forehead, and explains to her mother that she is going to give Paula a shower. She carries the little one, still sleeping, to the bathroom.

Raquel notices how much Paula has grown, how much she barely fits in her arms anymore. When undressing her daughter, she turns on the water in the shower, and puts Paula under the cold water. She runs her fingers through Paula's hair, wondering if she's happy.

The answer appears in her mind as soon as she asks. Images of Paula's moments go through her head, she running on the beach, playing in the water, her sweet laugh standing out over the other sounds. The little one may not understand the reason for the change, but she is happy. It is a good life, and Raquel has to admit that Sérgio does everything to make it as comfortable as possible.

The woman finishes bathing her daughter and wraps her in the towel, taking her to the bedroom and putting her to bed. Raquel feels sad to see her daughter grumbling and putting her hand on her throat. Raquel brings her daughter close to her and hugs her, cuddling her in her chest.

“I know it hurts today, but it will be over soon. With honey and medicine, you'll soon recover. ” Raquel promises.

Paula lets out an incomprehensible grunt. The eldest dresses her daughter in long-sleeved button-up pajamas, and settles her back on the bed under the covers. When measuring the temperature again, Raquel celebrates when she observes that the temperature dropped to 37.5. The child closes his eyes and the mother lets her sleep until the doctor arrives.

It doesn't take long. Soon a man at the age of 60, short and with gray hair, knocks on the door with a suitcase with medical instruments in hand.

"Hi Luiz! Thank you so much for coming as soon as possible. ” Sérgio opens the door and thanks him.

“No need to thank me,” Luiz pats Sérgio on the back and enters the house.

The doctor greets Raquel, and soon he is directed to the patient's room.

"Good afternoon, I'm Luiz." the doctor introduces himself upon entering the room. "How's my patient doing?"

Paula explains that she is having a sore throat and Raquel informs him that she had a fever, but they have already given medicine to control it. The doctor nods and opens his briefcase, taking out a stethoscope. Luiz listens to the girl's heartbeat, and then measures her pressure.

Still without speaking or explaining, he takes a clinical flashlight out of the suitcase and asks Paula to open her mouth. Luiz lights up the child's throat, moving it from side to side to get a better look. When he is satisfied, he takes an otoscope out of his suitcase to check her ear.

"Well, I was able to draw a conclusion." he says after the full analysis. “As I already imagined, Paula has a sore throat, with a lot of phlegm. What color is the phlegm coming out? ”

“Yellowish”, the little one replies.

“A sign of developing laryngitis, or maybe sinusitis. There is no phlegm in the lung, it is clean. But if we don't take care of it, it can soon reach the lung. I'm going to prescribe an antibiotic, and if it doesn't get better within five days, I'll be back here.”

Luiz writes the recipe and delivers it to Sérgio, who says he will go buy it right away. The doctor says goodbye, and Sergio leaves with him. When Sergio returns, he despairs when he sees Paula out of bed.

“Raquel, where's Paula? What is she doing out of bed? ” he asks in astonishment.

“Calm down, cariño. She just went to the bathroom.” she tries to reassure him.

"But… you didn't go with her?"

“Sérgio, she is not an invalid. In fact, the medicine is working, the fever is getting lower and lower and she is already feeling better. ”

"Even so, you should accompany her, what if she feels dizzy..."

"I won't admit it, Sergio," Raquel explodes, reaching her limit, but tries to control her voice so as not to disturb Paula. "She is my daughter. For much of my life, I took care of her by myself. I always did everything to keep her safe and not miss anything. So don't come to imply that I am an inconsequential mother just because I didn't accompany my daughter to the bathroom.”

The pain in her eyes makes something light up inside him. He realizes that he overreacted.

“I'm sorry, Raquel” Sérgio asks. “I never questioned and I will never question you as a mother. You are an attentive, caring mother, and I have always admired that in you. I remember since our first meeting, when you wanted to leave because you wanted to be home when your daughter woke up. Or when I went to your house and saw you interacting with her, the way you act with her. You are incredible, and this maternal side of you, which comes so naturally, is one of the things I love most about you. I didn't mean to hurt you. ”

He comes over and touches her hands, and takes it as a good sign when she doesn't push away. Sérgio looks for her eyes, but she stares at the floor. He strokes her fingers and builds up the courage to continue talking.

“It is difficult for me to see her sick, Raquel,” Sérgio confesses. “You know about my past, you know I was a sick child, I lived in the hospital most of the time, and just seeing Paula like that, it breaks my heart just to think of something more serious happening and she becoming a child like I was."

This time it is Sergio who stares at the ground, and tears start to fall just at the memory of his childhood, of everything he lost. He was unable to attend schools, had no friends, did not learn to socialize. He saw his father suffering, not only because he saw his son in this state, but also because he did not have much money to afford the drugs. And when Sergio finally got better, he dedicated the rest of his life to carrying out the plan devised by his father to honor him. He never had time for himself, to do anything for him. In a way, his life started now. In Palawan. With Raquel.

Among all the possibilities, the first thing he did for himself was to get carried away by what he was feeling for Raquel. He could be anywhere in the world now, but he chose to share that location with Raquel. He chose to wait for her. He chose her.

"Hey, look at me cariño." Raquel asks, supporting her hands under his chin and lifting his face. "Don't cry, please. I didn't think that way, that it could be so difficult for you. I understand you and I'm sorry. But I need you to believe that Paula will be fine. What she has is nowhere near as serious as what you had. It is a simple throat infection, which is very common at her age.”

Raquel runs her hand over his face and wipes away the tears there, stroking his cheek. Sérgio gives a small smile and she closes her arms around his body, hugging him tight.

That's how Paula finds them when she comes back from the bathroom. Raquel breaks free of the hug and finds her daughter smiling, heading towards the bed.

"How are you, little one?" Sérgio asks, remaining with his arms around Raquel.

"I am feeling better. My throat is still bothering me, but at least I'm not feeling so weak anymore. ”

“Good, I'm very happy to know. I'll bring the medicine for you to take, okay? ”

Paula nods and Sergio goes to the kitchen, and returns to the room with the medicine and a portion of cream crackers.

"You can't take medicine on an empty stomach, shall we try to eat this crackers?" Sérgio asks.

Paula hesitates, but in the end she accepts the cookie and is able to eat without major problems. Raquel looks at the scene with emotion, seeing Sérgio taking care of Paula with such affection and zeal.

And in the coming days, that same scene is repeated several times. Sérgio doesn't leave Paula's side at any time. He lowers the glass of the bedroom window so that Paula does not get cold, takes food to her in bed and it is he who always makes a point of remembering the times of the medicines.

Sergio tries to cheer her up by telling jokes, watching movies lying on the bed with her, and every now and then he picks up the gray cat and puts it on the bed for Paula to play with. He loves the huge smile that appears in the girl's face every time she sees the cat. Fofuxo, their name for the cat, appeared on their doorstep on a sunny Wednesday morning. The cat did not stop meowing, and had a small scratch on its leg. Paula immediately became attached to the cat and begged them to stay with the cat. At first Sergio was against it, thinking about all the dirt and mess that a cat could make, dropping fur all over the house. Today he is completely attached to the animal.

When she sees Sérgio taking care of Paula with so much love, Raquel notices his evolution. Before, Sergio was closed and alone, and now he is open and receptive. He is no longer a lone wolf.


End file.
